Taiwan Has Two Founder Routes: One Tests You, One Tests Your Startup
The Taiwan Employment Gold Card is for qualified foreign professionals in one of 10 professional fields, assessed on your profile, not on a startup or an investment. The Entrepreneur Visa is the founder route: the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) checks that you meet at least one startup qualification, such as venture-capital backing, an incubator placement or a patent.
The fact that matters most: neither route has a universal investment minimum. The Entrepreneur Visa's NT$2 million and NT$1 million figures apply only to specific routes. Qualify in a Gold Card field and you get a 1 to 3 year card and a 3-year route to permanent residence (APRC). If your strongest asset is the company itself, the Entrepreneur Visa is built for you, and decides faster.
Taiwan Founder Visas at a Glance (2026)
| Field | Employment Gold Card | Entrepreneur Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | National Immigration Agency (NIA), with Ministry of Labor consultation | MOEA reviews the qualification; you apply on the NIA platform |
| Initial stay | 1, 2 or 3 years (your choice) | 2 years |
| Renewal | New application 4 months to 1 month before expiry, if still eligible | Up to 2 years per extension if the business meets a performance test |
| Funds / investment | Not published: no general minimum, field criteria apply | No universal minimum; NT$2 million and NT$1 million apply to specific routes only |
| Government fee | NT$3,700 / NT$4,700 / NT$5,700 for 1 / 2 / 3 years (most foreign passports) | NT$4,200 per item before entry, NT$5,000 after entry (no special surcharge) |
| Processing time | Over 60 business days | 30 working days |
| Path to permanent residence | APRC after 3 years holding the card and 3 continuous years of residence, a 183-day yearly average and other conditions | No dedicated shortcut confirmed; general route is 5 consecutive years with 183+ days a year |
| Official source | goldcard.nat.gov.tw | sme.gov.tw: Entrepreneur Visa |
Who Qualifies
Employment Gold Card. The Gold Card qualifications are organised around 10 professional fields, each with its own criteria. Review is administrative, not a pitch: NIA passes the file to the Ministry of Labor, which consults the relevant ministry, and overseas applications also go through a designated overseas mission before NIA's final review.
Entrepreneur Visa. Under the MOEA qualification rules, you must meet at least one route. Examples:
- Venture-capital investment, or backing from the Executive Yuan National Development Fund Startup Angel Project
- At least NT$2 million raised through an approved startup fundraising platform
- A recommendation after placement in a qualifying incubator
- A relevant patent, or demonstrated professional expertise
- A recognised startup or design award, or an approved government project
- Another recognised innovation capability
If you already run a Taiwan enterprise recognised for innovative capability, you must have invested at least NT$1 million and serve as its legal representative, manager or director.
How to Apply
Employment Gold Card
- Check the criteria for your professional field.
- Apply on the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform, linked from the Gold Card application page, and choose a 1, 2 or 3-year card.
- Pay the fee and wait for the inter-agency review.
Entrepreneur Visa
- Confirm which qualification route you meet and gather the evidence.
- Apply on NIA's Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform: say whether you are inside or outside Taiwan, upload scans including a passport valid for at least 6 months, and pay.
- MOEA reviews your qualification with the relevant industry authorities.
- After approval, complete passport verification within 6 months, per the NIA guidelines.
Fees and Processing Time
Gold Card. Official fees depend on your passport, where you apply and the term:
- Most foreign passports, and U.S. passports applying in Taiwan: NT$3,700 / NT$4,700 / NT$5,700 for 1 / 2 / 3 years
- U.S. passports applying abroad: NT$7,790 / NT$8,790 / NT$9,790
- Hong Kong or Macau residents: NT$3,100 for a 1 to 3 year card
- Domestic applicants with a valid ARC: NT$1,500 / NT$2,500 / NT$3,500
- Extensions: NT$1,500 / NT$2,500 / NT$3,500 for foreign passports, NT$800 for Hong Kong or Macau residents
Processing is over 60 business days once correct documents are submitted.
Entrepreneur Visa. Per the NIA guidelines, the fee is NT$4,200 per item before entry and NT$5,000 after entry if you are not subject to a special processing fee. If you are, you pay that fee plus NT$2,000 (before entry) or NT$2,800 (after entry); the page does not state the surcharge itself. Hong Kong or Macau applicants pay NT$2,600. Processing is 30 working days.
Stay Length, Renewal and Permanent Residence
Gold Card. To extend, submit a new application within the 4 months before expiry and no later than 1 month before, while still meeting your field's criteria. For APRC, hold the card for at least 3 years, live in Taiwan as a holder for at least 3 continuous years, and average 183 days a year, plus other conditions. It is not automatic.
Entrepreneur Visa. The first period is 2 years. To extend, your Taiwan business must meet one performance test: annual or recent 3-year average sales of NT$3 million, operating expenses of NT$1 million, or at least 3 full-time Taiwanese employees. Apply within the 4 months before your ARC expires; each extension is at most 2 years. We found no Entrepreneur Visa shortcut to APRC, so the general NIA route of 5 consecutive years with at least 183 days a year is the baseline.
Family Members
A Gold Card holder's spouse and minor children are eligible for residence. On the Entrepreneur Visa, eligible family members are a foreign spouse, children under 18, and adult children unable to live independently because of a disability. They apply on the NIA platform and, the first time, can choose 1- or 2-year validity.
What Changed in 2025-2026
Taiwan's revised Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals passed its third reading on 29 August 2025. Most provisions took effect on 1 January 2026, the rest on 30 June 2026.
- Faster APRC for "global elites": qualifying foreign specialist professionals can apply after 1 year. The full criteria are not in the official summaries, so a Gold Card alone is not proof you qualify.
- Graduate deduction: Taiwanese graduates with an associate degree or above may cut 1 to 3 years from the residence period.
- Doctoral route: designated professionals with a doctorate from a Taiwanese university may deduct 2 years, potentially reaching 1 year. This is conditional.
Where Taiwan Fits vs Other Founder Visas
Taiwan pairs a profile-based card with a founder visa that spells out concrete qualifying routes. The trade-offs are slow Gold Card processing and Entrepreneur Visa extensions tied to sales, spending or hiring. Compare it with our guides to Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the UAE.
Find Investors Before You Relocate
Several Entrepreneur Visa routes are investor routes: VC investment, Startup Angel Project backing, or NT$2 million raised on an approved platform. Investor conversations can be how you qualify, not just what happens after you land.
Browse VC firms worldwide on Round Funded →
For nearby markets, see VC firms in Hong Kong and VC firms in Japan. Round Funded covers 60,000+ active investors, sends outreach from your own Gmail, and includes a free Data Room.
Comparing nearby options? See the Hong Kong founder visa guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum investment for Taiwan's Entrepreneur Visa?
No universal one. NT$2 million applies to the platform-fundraising route and NT$1 million to founders already running a recognised Taiwan enterprise.
Does the Taiwan Gold Card require a startup or an investment?
No. It is assessed on the criteria of one of 10 professional fields, with no general minimum funding or investment.
How long does processing take?
Over 60 business days for the Gold Card and 30 working days for the Entrepreneur Visa.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Both routes cover a spouse and minor children.
How do I extend the Entrepreneur Visa?
Show your Taiwan business meets one performance test, such as NT$3 million in sales or 3 full-time Taiwanese employees, and apply within 4 months before your ARC expires.
How soon can I get permanent residence (APRC) in Taiwan?
The standard Gold Card route takes 3 years; the general NIA route takes 5. A 1-year "global elite" route exists, but its full criteria are not published in the official summaries.
The Short Version
Qualify in a Gold Card field? Start there, and accept a slower review. Building the case on your startup? The Entrepreneur Visa decides faster, but you must keep hitting performance tests to stay. Either way, start investor conversations early. Start raising with Round Funded →
